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gulfshorebusiness.com

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Southwest Florida nonprofits generate $4.3B in revenue

Just because they’re not-for-profit doesn’t mean these organizations aren’t making an economic impact. Southwest Florida’s nonprofits brought in about $4.3 billion in revenue last year, according to the Florida Nonprofit Alliance. The roughly 1,600 nonprofits in Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties generated about $1.5 billion in direct value added, a measure of their contribution to the region’s gross regional product.

Southwest Florida, FL · 7d
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gulfcoastnewsnow.com

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Lee County to cut ribbon Monday on $80M Three Oaks Parkway extension to Estero

LEE COUNTY, Fla. — Lee County officials are preparing for the ribbon-cutting of the Three Oaks Parkway extension project to open new lanes and improve traffic flow for drivers. Tony Kemper, a Lee County resident, expressed his anticipation for the completion of the construction. "I work in sales, so...

Lee County, FL · 8d
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USA TODAY Sports Media Group

partner publisher · 558.7K followers
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Exclusive Florida golf club faces new hurdle after county misses deadline

Opponents could get another chance to fight the conversion of a long-time citrus grove into an exclusive, private golf club in East Naples. According to a letter from FloridaCommerce, Collier County missed the state's deadline to submit its final approval of a required growth plan amendment by more than a year. After an hours-long hearing on Sept. 22, county commissioners unanimously approved the amendment and rezoning, which faced strong opposition from neighbors who hoped to somehow preserve the 169-acre South Naples Citrus Grove. The state received the county's adopted amendment on Oct. 2. FloridaCommerce deemed it "withdrawn" under state law a few days later because the county took far too long to approve the amendment after the state's initial review last year. As a result of the delay, the state returned the amendment to the county without action — or implementation. The growth plan amendment dates back to 2025 County commissioners voted to transmit the original amendment to the state for review on May 27, 2025. The state sent its review back to the county a little over a month later, on July 2. After the county received the state's comments, it had 180 days to hold the second and

Collier County, FL · 8d

santivachronicle.com

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Planning Commission Expands Waivers for HVAC, Generators, Solar Installations

At a public hearing on October 27, 2026, the Planning Commission unanimously passed a resolution expanding eligibility for administrative waivers for installing air conditioning equipment, emergency generators, and solar energy system components. Currently, certain limitations related to impermeable coverage, vegetation removal, and developed area apply to HVAC equipment, emergency electrical...

Sanibel, FL · 8d
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The News-Press

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SWFL water infrastructure faces a costly crossroads | Opinion

Every time we turn on a faucet or flush a toilet, we depend on infrastructure most of us rarely see. Beneath Southwest Florida’s growth lies a pressing question: Can our water and wastewater systems keep pace — and can residents afford what comes next? That question brought regional utility leaders together October 22 at Florida Gulf Coast University for a panel hosted by the Southwest Chapter of the Florida Water Environment Association. Their discussion deserves attention beyond the engineering community. Decisions about pipes, treatment plants and water reuse affect household budgets, public health and the waterways that help define our region. Growth creates an obvious need for additional capacity. But utilities must also replace aging equipment, maintain existing networks and manage rising construction costs. Cape Coral Utilities Director Jeff Pearson discussed the city’s Utilities Expansion Program (UEP), which brings drinking water, sewer service and reclaimed irrigation water to neighborhoods previously served by private wells and septic systems. His account illustrated the financial challenge of extending infrastructure as construction becomes more expensive. Established communities face a related problem: maintaining and replacing older systems with fewer opportunities for new development to help support those investments. Residents understandably question higher bills and assessments.

Fort Myers, FL · 7d

santivachronicle.com

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Planning Commission Backs Alcohol Service Rule Change

At its Oct. 27, 2026, meeting, the Planning Commission discussed a possible amendment to the Land Development Code that would allow establishments to serve wine without meeting the restaurant standard for food sales. Island Time Wine currently operates a retail wine shop with a tasting room at 2407 Periwinkle Way...

Sanibel, FL · 8d

WINKNEWS.com

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SWFL leaders rally in Cape Coral for last stand on Amendment 3

CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WINK)— Emergency response leaders ended a statewide Vote No on Amendment 3 tour in Cape Coral. They said the proposal could cut local department budgets and force communities to replace lost property tax revenue with new charges or other funding. Department heads from state and local...

Cape Coral, FL · 8d

gulfcoastnewsnow.com

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Dead grass, trash blanket Cape Coral canal as couple pushes for cleanup plan

CAPE CORAL, Fla. — They bought the dream... a home on the water. However, for Margaret and Carl Bohne, the view from their Cape Coral backyard has become anything but picture-perfect. "We were away for most of the summer, but we came back about a month ago, and we're...

Cape Coral, FL · 8d

Marconews.com

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Collier commissioners approve mixed-use development in East Naples

Collier commissioners approved a mixed-use development with workforce housing in East Naples. On Oct. 27, the board voted unanimously in favor of the project, despite opposition. Some residents raised concerns about "commercial creep" and its impacts on traffic, safety and noise in their neighborhood. The opposition included pushback from the...

Naples, FL · 8d

WINKNEWS.com

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Estero Wildcats QB Maddox Stewart rewrites Lee County record book

ESTERO, Fla. (WINK)—Maddox Stewart broke two Lee County passing touchdown records on one throw Monday against East Lee County. Stewart connected with Hudson King for a 30-yard touchdown that gave the Estero senior the county's single-season and career passing touchdown records. He raised his totals to 39 touchdown passes this season and 95 for his career.

Lee County, FL · 7d

WINKNEWS.com

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Lee County voters face lines as early voting tops 108,000

LEE COUNTY, Fla (WINK) - Thousands of voters in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties cast ballots early ahead of Tuesday's election. WINK News stopped by early voting sites in Collier County and Lee County on Saturday afternoon. Voters in Collier County said early voting saved them time, while dozens of people stood in line at the Lee County election center to cast their ballots.

Lee County, FL · 7d

WINKNEWS.com

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Polling locations for Southwest Florida counties ahead of midterm elections

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA (WINK) — Early voting has ended, and voters must wait until Tuesday to vote in the midterm election. The ballot includes local, state and federal races as well as three amendments. State law required voters to bring identification to vote. About 12 forms of ID are acceptable,...

Lee County, FL · 5d

The Daily Sun

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Amontree vs Melton: The race for County Commission District 4

PORT CHARLOTTE — A conservative and an independent compete for County Commission District 4.

Charlotte County, FL · 6d

englewoodreview.com

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Residents First, Smarter Growth: Vote Michael Melton for Charlotte County Commission, District 4 (Video)

Charlotte County is facing massive pressure from rapid growth and overdevelopment. It is time for a leader who puts residents first, not outside developers!. Meet Michael Melton, Independent candidate for Charlotte County Commission, District 4. Born in Port Charlotte and raised in Englewood, Michael is a licensed Florida Professional Engineer,...

Charlotte County, FL · 7d

businessobserverfl.com

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Luxury 24-story waterfront condo tower in Lee County tops out

Real estate development firm Kolter Urban has reached the top of its 24-story condominium tower in Estero, moving the 86-residence project closer to a planned mid-2027 completion. The developer announced the topping out of The Island at West Bay Club Oct. 30. With the tower at its full structural height,...

Lee County, FL · 5d

gulfshorebusiness.com

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The Island at West Bay Club tops out as Estero rarity

The Island at West Bay Club is developer Kolter Urban’s latest ode to exclusivity: a luxury residential tower within a private country club community on Estero Bay. Manhattan Construction workers recently reached the tower’s 24th floor, where future residents may one day relax by a rooftop pool with soaring views of the bay, the barrier islands and the Gulf beyond.

Estero, FL · 8d

WINKNEWS.com

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Sanibel beautification project could slow traffic Nov. 7-20

SANIBEL, Fla. (WINK)—The City of Sanibel Public Works Department will begin an island-wide mulching and landscape beautification project on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. Work is expected to continue through Friday, Nov. 20, 2026, weather and site conditions permitting. The city said the project is part of its ongoing effort to enhance the island's appearance, improve landscaped areas and maintain Sanibel's natural beauty for residents and visitors.

Sanibel, FL · 8d

gulfcoastnewsnow.com

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Cape Coral launches water consumption alerts to help identify potential leaks

CAPE CORAL, Fla. — On Friday, the City of Cape Coral announced that it has implemented a new notification process to help utility customers identify water leaks. In a news release, the city said that Customer Billing Services, along with IT, has launched the system that contacts customers by phone or email when continuous water consumption is detected on the property.

Cape Coral, FL · 8d

Naples Daily News

partner publisher · 28.0K followers

Collier Mosquito Control must phase out neurotoxins | Opinion

Hurricane Idalia blew large flocks of American flamingos ( Phoenicopterus ruber ) back into Florida in late August 2023. Yet the birds have failed to recolonize in Collier County’s salt marshes and brackish estuaries — thriving nowhere locally except at the Naples Zoo. Although boat traffic flushes foraging flocks, altered freshwater sheetflow and neurotoxic pesticides deplete their invertebrate food supply. These birds rely on filter-feeding in mudflats to consume larvae, amphipods, and shrimp. Naled causes acute aquatic mortality at parts-per-billion levels, while synthetic pyrethroids deployed by the Collier Mosquito Control District (CMCD) adhere to estuarine sediment and destroy crustacean prey at parts-per-trillion levels — whereas Bti offers a one-million-fold safer alternative. First covering a six-square-mile territory in 1950 and adopting Naled during the 1960s, CMCD has expanded its spray area to 765 square miles over the last 20 years and added six turbine aircraft. The vast majority of coastal aerial treatments target salt-marsh nuisance mosquitoes ( Aedes taeniorhynchus ). Conversely, primary human disease vectors such as Culex and Aedes aegypti reproduce mainly in residential containers and inland freshwater habitats. Once Jay Kohlhagen (nonpartisan, CCMCD-3) and I take our seats on the CMCD Board in 2027, we will work to build

Collier County, FL · 8d

Marconews.com

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Best SW Florida reader photos include Useppa Island, Fort Myers

Do you have a picture from paradise you’d like to share with Tropicalia readers? We’d love to print it. Email photos to tropicalia@news-press.com. Be sure to include your full name, where you took the picture and what kind of camera or phone you used. Get snapping!. Note: Photos...

Fort Myers, FL · 6d